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G. A. REYNOLDS.

ROTARY GAS ENGINE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATON HLED NGV. H. l9l8.

Patenteiduly l6, 1920.

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GEORGE A. REYNOLDS, QF NDIANAPOLIS. INDIANA.

ROTARYGAS-ENGINE CGNSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July (i, 192,0.

Application med Nevember u. 191s. serial No. cansan.

To all lwhom it mag/'concern' y Be it known 'that I, GEononA. REYNOLDS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis,v county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Rotary Gas Engine Construction;

and 1 do hereby declare that the followingwis a full, clear, andexact description thereof, reference `being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

Thisinvention relates to rotary internal combustion engines, and the prime feature of the invention is in so constructing the pisA ton carrying members of the motor as to enable them to cause the revolution'of the cyln elders of the motor. This is accomplished bythe base carrying members` projectii'ig into'the cylinders, so that the cylinders revolve 'with the piston carrying. members and `does: away with the imperfectly operating gear mechanism heretofore employed for causing the revolution of the cylinders. y

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for iforoing a 'lubricant to all parts of the cylinders.

A further fen ture of. the invention is in so conncctingthe piston rods to the pistons that n far shorter `and lighter form of piston .may

'be used, and at thefsameftime obtain the same results as Whena longer and heavier pistonis used. y

4 A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for deiiecting and diffusing an aircurrent to the parts ofthe cylin ders receiving the most heat.

A further feature of theginvention is the. provision of a coating ofirnaterial on the ex-f terior of the cylinders and ln'irts'` of the mothe same more sensi- `tor Awhich will render tive to the cold alr.

' A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for employing a body of lubricant or oil for receiving the thrust from the piston operating means. l v, Other objects and advantageswill be here# morefully set forth in the accom panying specifications. 4 f

In the accompanying drawings `which are made apart of this application, l'i-gure'l' is a vertical entrai longitudinal sectional View through themotor. 'Figa-2 is an end velevation of the motor with parte removed. Fig.

3 is 4an enlarlged sectional vievv'as seen on i. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged one of the pistons showing line 3-.-3 in end" eleyation o the pistdn rod in sections. Fig. is a pes spective View of 'one of the spring membersl employed for forming a connection between the piston rods and their pistons. Fig. 6 5:7: an enlarged. detailed sectional View through one of the cylinders, showing a coating oi' material thereon for aiding in more rapidly cooling the motor. i Referring to thedrawings in which similar reference numerals deeignute correspon d ing parts throughout the several views, l .n

dieet-es the frame of the motor, which is mounted upon a hollow Shaft 2, which is 4mounted in the stationary bearings W2 and 202 said shaft having a plurality of intake ports 8 through the wall thereof, and preferably adjacent oneend of the shaft, and is also provided with a plurality of outlet ports 4. The frame 1, which is snbstantielly in the forni of a howl shaped disk rotates with the shaft 2 andcarries a plural `ty of cylinan operating, lever l0, one end of which is w pivot'ed t0 the head of -The opposite end of the Witlra roller 11, which enters a curr slot 12 in the periphery of lthe cam Walll-S. The` combustion chamber 6 is also providedwith an exhaust vvalve 14, the stem 15 of which is engaged Withian operating lever 16, said p-, erating lever being` also pivoted to the end ofthe cylinder and having its inner end provided with a roller 1,7, whichenters a cam slot 18 also provided in the periphery of th'e cam Walll, and it will be readil seen that as" the Vcam wall is rotated, as is e, So the cyl-f the cylinder Wall.

inders carrying the valves, levers l() and 16` will be rocked so as valves.

Mounted within each cylinder 5 is a piston '19 which is` holloWand has a closed end 20, ,i the open end thereof preferably `having an inwardly extending iinnge cause the piston to travel in proper aline ment and Without bindingr ol finizhng against the wall of'tluwey,linder, und malte to open and close said lever 10 is provided A 21. In order to4 same time enable the listen to be mode comparatively short endl light, means is .ro- .vided for reusing the piston rod 22 to direct its forro at the ends ci the piston 'when moving tht` pistou inunrdly or outwnrdly. To this rnd u suhstfxuinlly oeuil-globular ball member 2li is clinched., by ineens-,of the stem -f point ci' connection bctween.the stem 24 and' the end 20, and at the axial center of the piston and at the extreme forwiifrd end thereof. ln moving the piston in the op Jositr direction. spring arms 25 nre provi ed which are arcuate in general outline, the in* nel' ends thereoti having semi-circuler recesses 2G which fit uround the piston rod 22, the meeting ends of the spring arms having laterally extending fingers 27, which abut against' euch other, seid spring arms being held in position by placing their inner ends against a shoulder 28 adje-cent the inner end of `the piston rod, :1nd their outer ends against the flunge 2l. at the extreme outer end of the piston 19. By this construction it is seen thatl when the piston rod is movv ing the piston outwardly, the force will be applied against the piston et its extreme outer end, consequently no side thrust will be imported to the piston when moved in either direction.

Y The spring arms 25 also take up any weer that might occur between the ball member und mcket member und will also permit expension or contraction between the parts thus maintaining n perfect union between the parts Of the joint.

The outer end of the piston rod 22 is po- "ided with a hollow billigt), which lits the bearing 30 carried bjthe socket 31 said socket being in turn attncho'dto a spider 32 which rotates uroundfthe shft 2.`

The sockets 31 carried the spider 32 are substantially globular, at e'eertain portion of every revoluhle movement they project into'tle cylinders, during the instrokc of the piston, and obviously the revo-` luhle movement of the sockets engaging walls of the cylinders will cause theframe 1 and cylinders carried thereby to revolve in unison. The spiderQ is provided with n stationary hollow hub 38, which is mounted upon a hollow sleeve 34, vthrough the lmedium of bearing balls 35 and 36, seid balls being arra d Ain the usual form of races 37 and 38. he sleeve 34 is ri. 'dly 'securedto the bearin k'nusing102 whicis always stationary.' ntal'lorly of the h'ub 33, and ed` jacent the reces :57i-fand 3S are, inwardly extending 39, which vfortuna. @circuler cavity 4t) forithe receptioi'i of any suitable forni of lubricant. Between the inner ends of the flanges 39 und the well of the hollow sleeve 3% is positioned rings of packing/il, which prevents the lubricant. from leaving the cavity between the flanges und the sleeve. Lubricant is conveyed into the cavity 40 through n channel 42 from any suitable source and enters the cavity through n. port 43, from whence it passes t rough a duct 44 extending through each arm of the' s ider 32. This brings` thcrlubricunt to the ball 29 which is hollow and has a port 4:5wliich communicutes with the end of the duct 44 when the socket is removedfrom the cylinder, and is moved out of registration with theduct, when the socket enters the end of the c linder. The lubricant is conveyed longtu inally of thep'iston rod through n bore 46 and is thrown on to the Wells of the cylinder through escape ports 4'( and on to the bell member 23 through nn escape ort 48.

As the luhricgxitfnthe cavity i und the channel 42, is'under pressure, the lubricant will lie/forced through the escape ports 47 with suilicient velocity to overcome the action of centrifugal force which would tend to throw all the lubricant to one sideof the cylinder and thereby thoroughly lubricates t e entire inner surface of the cylinder.

The end of the hollow sleeve 34, upon which the spider 32 rotates, rests at an' anle to the trend of the shaft 2, while the rame 1 carrying the cylinders 5 is arranged conccntricully of the shitft 2 whereby but n. limited number of the sockets will enter the cylinders at any one time, that is to sny, when nine of the cylinders 5 ure used, but four ol the sockets will engage or bc in coperzitiouwith the ends of their respective rylinders at the sume time. ln consequence of the Vinclination of the spider with respectto the cylinders, the force of the explosion Within the cylinders will direct rotating movement to. the spider and through the mcdiuln of the socket 3l, to the cylinders 5.

The hollow sleeve 34 is so arranged ns to provide e cavity 49 with which communi.- catesl a feed pipe 50, and uthrough which propelling medium is carried to the intake ports 3. In order to provide u cushioning thrust hearing for the outer end oi' the hub 33 e pair of plates 51 and 52 are positioned in the outer end of the hub, and ,spaced apart, the plate 5l resting against one face of the ball raccBS, while the plate 52 mists against e locking ring 53 'in the end of the hub` By se ereting the platos l and 52 a. space 54 is ormed into whicllis introduced any suitable form of oil, and 'by entering the oil in the space under high pressure said oil -Will serve as a bearing to receive the end thrust orfthe' spider l-'htlii sind hv ccnlso main substantially constant. Surrounding thil open ends of the cylinders 5 is u4 casing .37. to the other end of vwhich is attached a huh o', thus i'oxopletcly inclosing the spider and the `)pen ends of the cylinders and protecting them from dirt, dust and the like. Owing to the rapid rotation of the cylinders and spider the lubricant escaping Vfrom the cylinders isgiven a whirling ac' fion by the rotation of the spider and cylinders', and in order to `gather such oil. orluhricant. a trough 57 is `4attached to the hollow sleeve 34 and so arranged that the whirling lubricant will be collected thereby :and carried to a suitable discharge opening. Hurroimdinn the exterior portion of the rjflinih-rs are the usual form of radialcool ing wings 38, against which air is forced in order to cool the cylinders and to more readily distribute thil air or rather to dirert a, greater volume of air upon the parts of iho cylinders receiving the greatest degree of heat. a sleflector plate 59 is attached to the frame 1 so that as the air strikes said plate it will be thrown outwardly and 011 to the end ot' the cylinder in which the explosion occurs.

I tl has been found that copper and similar metals arelmore susceptible `to heat and cold than iron and in order to cause the cylinders to more readily cool, a covering 6() of copper or like metal is frectfoplated or otherwise disposed over the Wings` 58 and the outer Wall of the cylinders 5.

ily entering the propelling medium through the hollow shaft 2. it becomes vaporizedror converted into a gas, owingr to ihr fact that parts of the shaft and .the ihn-fs T are heated from the cylinders.y the hollow shaft 2 having a. Wall Gl therein, which limitsy the passage of the propelling medium longitudinally of the shaft.

,lhe operation of the device is as follows: the outer stroke of the piston through the piston lod pivoted to the spider causes the revolution of the spider andthe sockets projecting from the Snider into the cylinoers during the instroke thereof obviously carry or push the cylinders around with them and as the cylindersare all united the result is that' "the series of cylinders is caused thereby to revolve vwith the spider. heretofore in practical use of such devices there has been a gear on the cylinder frame concentric with the tube Z in mesh with the angn'larly positioned angulaligear of the spider for enablingr the spider'to cause the revolution of the cylinders. The chief object ofthis invention is to avoid that means or method of revolving the cylinders be-4 cause it has been a source of great trouble, as the 1gears referred to do not always accurately coperate and when they do not, it breaks up the machine. In other words it is-necessary that the cylinders revolve eX actly along with the spider so that the pis` ton rods and pistons will operate just right. With this invention there can be no irregularity in the relative revolutions o' the spider and the cylinders, because Athe means whereby the piston rods are connected with the spider is also the means which moves the cylinders in their revolutions, that is the 'socket from the spider connects the piston rod with the spider and it also, on the instroke of the piston,jprojects into the cylinder andV naturally `moves or carries the cylinder along with it i revoluble movement. l Y There is always one of these sockets projectingr into one cylinder, as shown at the topqof Fig. l, ahd usually the socket on each side of the socket just referred to also projects to some extent into its correspond* ing cylinder so thatseverel of these sockets are acting against the inner Walls of some of the cylinders and as theyswing around cause the revolution of the set of cylinders.

The invention 'claimed is :v

1l A rotary gas engine including a plurality cit` revoluble cylinders, istons in said cylinders, and a spider near t 1e ends of the cylinders and rotatable ony an axis at an angle to the axis of revolution of `the cylinders and connected with and actuated by the pistons and parts of the spider adapted to engage the walls of the cylinder and cause their revolution along with the spider.

2. A rotary gras engine includingr a plurality of revolublc cylindersa pistons in said. cylinders, and a spider near the ends of the cylinders and rotatable on an axis at an angle to the axis of revolution of the cylinders and connected Withand actuated bythei pistons, the connection between the spider and each piston adapted to enter the corresponding cylinder and engage the inner wall thereof and cause the cylinder to revolve and travel Withthe spider. y

3. A rotary gas engine including a shaft, a plurality of cylinders united in a unit and a( apted to revolve about the axis of the shaft, a spider near the ends f the cylinders and rotatable on an axis at an angle to the axis of `revolution of the cylinders ,and arranged obliquely thereto, pistons in the cylinders,'and projections from the spider with' which the Apistons are connected and which in the instroke of the pistons project into the cylinders, wherebythe pistons rotate the spider and the projections frolnthe spider 1 engage the cylinders and cause their revolution.

4. Arotary gas engine including a shaft. a plurallty of cylinders united in a unit and secured rigidly to said shaft, a spider near' llQ the ends of the cylinders and rotatable on an axis at an angle to the axis oi?d revolution of the cylinders and arranged obliquely thereto,

the

pistons in the cylinders with piston rods, and projections rom the spider with which iston rods are connected and which in thefnstroke of thepistons project into the cylinders, whereby the pistons rotate the spider and the projections f' om the spider engage the cylinders and t reir-fY drive the shaft. 5

5. A rotary gas engine including a shaft, a lur lity of cylindersunited in a unit and a a d to revolve about the axis of the sha a spider near the ends of the cylinders and tatalile on an axis at an angle to the axis of re olution of the cylinders, and arranged obliquely thereto, pistons in the cylinders with piston rods with balls on the ends thereof, and sockets projecting from the' spider in which the balls of the piston rods ha e bearing, said sockets adapted on the inst oke of the pistons to enter the cylinders and engage the side walls thereof, whereby the pistons rotate the spider and the spider through the sockets causes the revolution of the cylinders, substantially as set forth.

6. A rotary gas engine construction in cluding a pluralityr of cylinders, pistons in said cylinders, hollow piston rods connected with said pistons. said piston rods having a plurality of transverse ports between their ends, a spider having sockets adapted to receive and form a bearing for one end ot said piston rods, said spider having ducts for containing lubricant under pressure, one of the ports in each piston rod being adapted to communicate with one of tht` ducts in the spider when the piston is in one position and to move out of registration therewith when the piston is in another position.

7. A rotary gas engine including a plu ralit)r of cylinders, hollow pistons in said cylinders with one end of each piston closed, a ball member connected with said end closure and with its center of curvature located in said end closure, a piston rod` a` socket member thereon having a spherically disposed concave surface cooperating with the surface of said ball member of the pis ton, and yielding means fornormally hold ing the socket member in cooperation with the ball member.

8. A rotary as engine construction, includingr a cylint er, a piston in said cylinder, a. semiball member carried by the piston and positioned between the `ends thereof, a piston rod having a socket member for cooperation with the ball member, and yielding means for holding said socket member against said ball member whereby any variation in size between these parts will be taken u i and a close tit between the parts 9. rotary gas engine a cylinder, a hollow piston vin said cylinder with one end thereof closed, a ball member in Yton and engaging said socket member and yieldingly .holding` it against said ball member.

lo. Af' rotary gas engine construction in chilling a rotatably mounted spider, a bear ing upon which said spider is mounted, and a fluid thrust bearing between the `spider and the. part upon which it is mounted.

11. A rotary gas engine construction in hiding a sleeve. a spider rotatable on said sleeie, spaced plates at one end of the hub of the spider means for limiting the separating increment of yaid plates and means to retain/Huid under pressure between said plates for {.)loviding a cushioning thrust bearing for one end of the spider.

l2. A rotary gas engine construction, including a ryiil'lder, a piston in said Cylinder, :i scmi-ball member carried by the piston and secured to one end thereof, a piston rod having a socket member for cooperation with the ball member, and spring arms be' tween the socket member and the end of the piston farthest from the ball member for yieldingly holding the socket member against the ball member, and for directing the force incident to the movement of the piston in lone direction directly against the advancing end of the piston.

ifi. ln a rotary gas engine construction, the combination with a frame, and a plurality oi' cylinders carried at the periphery of the traine. of a deliector plate surrounding and attached to the hub of'the frame between the ends of the rvlinde'rs adapted to diti'usc thel current of air and direct the saine against the heated portions oi the cylinders. i

14. A rotary engine construction.v including a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder having a closed end and an open end, a semi-ball member attached to the closed end of the piston and positioned a distance therefrom, a piston rod having a socket member for cooperation with the ball member, and springarms having one of their ends attached to the socket member and their opposite ends engaged with the interior of the piston adjacent the open end thereof, the tension of said spring arms holding the socket member in engagement with the ball `member and directing the force incident to GEORGE A. RnYNoLns. 

